The Erhardt Line
by Yeahmyname
Summary: Milena is a Grimm born and raised in Europe, she is soon to be enlisted in the service of a Royal as her family has for generations. When her father offers a chance to travel to America, she reluctantly joins him along with the few members from her family who are selected to live in Portland, Oregon for a little over a year. A few things in Milena's life will change forever.
1. Chapter 1

Licking her lips, Milena readjusted her blade to an angle that would allow the wesen before her a quick death. Mother would have done the deed minutes before, the decision easy, her actions confident and without a doubt in her mind afterward. Milena knew what would happen if she but twitch her hand. Blood would spray from underneath the wesen's delicate skin, coating her already stained leather armor with a fresh shade. Gurgling, her prey would thrash on the ground, staring at her like the horror of a nightmare had incarnated itself with her entire existence. No one in her family would have even hesitated, their instincts running on over drive, eager to kill the beasts they lusted after. Milena hated that she hesitated, loathing the vary voice that told her this was wrong.

She flinched at the fear in the eyes of the man beneath her, reading the object terror she saw dancing in this creatures at her mercy. He had a right to fear her, had a right to expect every thing down to the exact detail. He knew what had been expected of her and the orders her superiors had programed her to follow in this type of situation.

That was the only problem. He didn't know her.

Milena growled deep in her throat, removed the beautifully crafted blade away from his neck and took a step back. The man cowering on the ground looked at her in disbelief. One of her kind, allowing prey to slip through their fingers willingly? The deed was unheard of. Before she could change her mind or attack him, the man was on his feet and running away from the reaper that had almost delivered his life to Hades. Milena watched his havoc retreat with sad, ancient eyes, feeling every ache and pain on her sore body catalog itself in her mind. _Run before someone finds what I have done._

She stiffened as a knife touched her bare throat. _Too late._

"I will give you one chance to complete your requirements properly." The familiar voice wrapped around her tense muscles like an adhesive. After a moment the weapon was removed, the women holding it stepped into the younger women's view. She was older than Milena by many years, their features similar and obviously related. The women jerked her sharp chin, replacing her knife to her muscular arm. "Go."

Milena shuddered, raising her hands to cover her ears however, the deed was done and her body was more than willing to comply. A small smile replaced the grimace of pain as her feet began to fly through the darkened woods after her quarry. She could feel the women at the back of her mind, feeding her a steady stream of encouragement that made her run faster than any regular human being. The wesen she had foolishly released made the mistake of looking over his shoulder as he retreated. Milena was no longer present in her mind, the mercy so easily given a simple moment ago was gone. She was a creature from the man's nightmare and would live up to the name.

His screams were soon heard over the tree tops, winning a smile from the women from where she stood back in the small clearing before. "Enjoy yourself Milena." She whispered before turning on her heel and stalking back to where they had made camp the night before.

Eyes drooping from exhaustion, Milena dragged herself and the body, or what was left of it, to her home camp. She had made several stops along the way, heaving what was left of her meager meals out of her stomach and trying to settle her reeling mind. _She made me do it again. _The worst part was that Milena liked it. Her hands shook, a thick coating of the man's dried flesh had crusted itself to her hands, leaving a rubbery feel that Milena did the best to ignore. Dragging the body back was a necessity. If the women didn't see it, she would ask Milena to hunt again and that was an outcome the girl would not be able to survive.

The sun would rise soon and they would be moving out when dawn first lightened the sky. Milena knew in her heart they would not wait for her. She entertained the dream of being abandoned by the group, of being left in the wilderness to die alone. A twig snapped behind her. Milena didn't allow herself to be fooled, deftly drawing her knife with well practiced movements and blocked the thrush from another blade, which revealed itself to be a stick.

She flicked the blade upward, meeting at the base of a throat underneath a familiar grinning face. "Ruisseau," Milena breathed, not dropping the knife. "prepare to die." A sharp tip of a longer blade touched the middle of her back, making her freeze.

"Meme de vous cousine." A voice whispered behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

Milena grinned and dropped her knife. She made the mental shift and spoke in French, "You two are getting better." The blond haired, blue eyed girl in front of her squealed in happiness, scooping up her knife and danced around the girl who was a year her senior. Another girl came out from behind Milena.

She was tall, six feet of pure muscle and armed to the teeth with an assortment of blades, knives, guns and poison bottles to coat them all. Black hair coupled with dark brown eyes made her intimidating to most and look nothing like the sister prancing around their captive. "Morning to you cousin." She whispered in perfect French. "We were not expecting you."

Milena swallowed thickly. "She sent me on another kill."

Her cousin lowered her knife, shrugging. "You should feeling honored." She shot a well suffered glance at Ruisseau as her sister danced around them. "Ruiss, stop." The younger girl pretended not to hear and instead studied the body.

Ruisseau stooped, squinting at the tattered corpse. "Is that a Eisbiber?"

The older girl cracked a half smile, reserved only for decapitations and her little sister. "That's a Blutbad."

The smaller girl blushed and even Milena smiled. "Go easy on her Lilith, she's still learning."

"That makes no excuse." A deep voice rumbled. All three girls watched as another person revealed himself. He was a stout figure, about 5'5 with muscular forearms and an air that showed he knew how to use them. Pale scars marked their way across his skin, the most noticeable being a deep cut that ran along the ridge of his nose. A gnarled nose, probably broken and re-broken in his training had not healed well, twitched as he drew a deep breath.

Staring him down with annoyance that bordered on contempt, the youngest girl quickly wiped the blush from her cheeks. "You should be at your post Hundjager."

"Your Aunt has sent for you to return as well." The older man growled, flashing his teeth. The primal noise stopped when Lilith drew her large battle ax and twirled it, studying the brutal weapon with ideal fascination. Being the same age as Milena meant nothing to the tall girl. She had created her own record within the last few years, having a large unstated blood thirst no hunt seemed to quench. Lilith's dark eyes met the man's.

"If you speak to any Grimm like that again, I will have your tongue and find someone who can appreciate your broken nose on a plaque." The Hundjager broke the stare, fear in his eyes. Many wesen who died screaming at her feet saw no compassion or mercy in her gaze.

With barely a whisper, her ax met the man's throat. No one had see the weapon deviate from the complex pattern the girl had been weaving and in a single heartbeat the girl had her prey trapped against a tree. Her expression did not change, the ideal fascination at odds with the fire suddenly burning in her eyes. "I didn't hear you."

His voice shook. "Yes, I understand."

"We should return to camp." Milena interrupted. She had seen her cousin play this game. She did not want to see the Hundjager's blood on her armor later. "If my mother sent a foot soldier..."

"We're moving out." Ruiss rasped. The younger girl had drawn a knife on reflex and was twirling the weapon between her fingers as Lilith pinned the creature to the tree. She and her sister shared a taste for blood but she new better than to disobey her aunt. No one crossed Milena's mother, not even for a little fun.

Lilith reluctantly stepped away from the creature and replaced the ax across her back. With a gait that was more of a stalk, the tall girl soon disappeared in the direction of their camp. Rubbing his neck, the man glanced at Milena and flinched when a knife impaled itself a few milimeters away from his face. Ruiss did not have her sister's control over her facial expressions, allowing the creature to see the blood lust usually hidden underneath the otherwise innocent face.

"I suggest you return to your post." The younger girl snarled. Sighing, Milena turned away and began to drag the body again. She heard the Hundjager's wild retreat, one that she assumed to be in a fairly fearful state if Ruiss' satisfied expression was anything to go by. Ruisseau retrieved and sheathed the ancient dagger before grasping the side of the body. Ruiss was not one to stay silent but a few paces passed silently.

"Too think, a _wesen_ trying to order _me_." Her young face twisted with a mixture of disgust and hatred. Ruiss had been initiated three years ago and had easily killed over three hundred wesen in that time. The girl had a lot of anger and only foolish people blamed her father for that. Ruiss' blue eyes flickered to her cousin's ruffled appearance to the dead body and back again. "You made it quick."

Milena didn't miss the note of disappointment in the younger girl's voice. "Yeah."

"They are not human Mil, they aren't the same as you and I."

"I know."

Ruiss liked to take her time with her kills, preferring the delicate fighting techniques of the knife rather than the sword or ax like her sister did. While Lilith wanted pain and broken bones, Ruiss wanted blood and time to play with her prey. The only thing they both enjoyed together was pain and absolute terror they inspired in their victims. Both of them had proven themselves Erhardt through and through. Milena had a less popular record, one that inspired many of her relatives to have 'the talk' with her every spare moment they had. Lilith and Ruisseau had a reason for their bloodlust, a reason to make every creature they hunted pay for the dept owed to their small family. Milena hated the creatures as well but she didn't enjoy torture. That was her fatal flaw.

The younger girl still wore a pissed expression but did not push her cousin any farther, knowing her place. Sunlight had just peaked the mountains when they stumbled into camp. Most of the family had gathered in a group, the weasen who had been deemed trust worthy ringed the outskirts, more than willing to stay away from the Grimms. Lilith already stood before a women, dark eyes cast downward out of either fear or respect of the women she was currently listening to. Expressions were always hard when it came to the tall girl. Another Grimm caught the attention of the women and Milena unconsciously tensed when she turned to face them.

Brown eyes that bordered on black stared at the girls, filled to the brim with hundreds of different emotions no one could really name until her face registered them. Her eyebrows were thick and oddly sophisticated. They usually remained relaxed over her eyes, a facial trick that wesen and people alike fell for. It was frightening what a kind face could hide. Thick auburn hair was swept into a high pony tail, out of her blood stained face. Her leather armor was still well intact despite the continual beatings and missions it had endured and remained coated with gore from the previous night's hunt.

Her face might have been relaxed but this women standing in a circle of experienced Grimms had killed more wesen and people than all of them combined. Every ridged line of her body spoke of her hard life, her eyes reading every detail of the person who dared to meet them. Lilith had been right to avert her gaze, an action Ruisseau and Milena repeated when the women turned her attention on them.

The action was not missed by their patron. "Look at me."

Both girls glanced at each other before obeying the command. Basic rule number 1; you didn't cross Valian Lachel. The older women stared at them for a moment before looking their appearance over.

"Thank you Ruisseau for helping Christuf with the Blutbodin last night." Valian purposefully spoke in German, the tongue having been Christuf's first and only language. The older boy nodded his assent at Valian's words before stalking to one of the hundjagers ringing the small camp.

Ruiss hesitated as she silently translated the praise before swelling up in pride. Valian smiled slightly, looking the girl up and down. She was properly coated in blood, perhaps even more so than others in the group. The older women switched back to the girl's native tongue, French, before continuing "Just keep in mind Ruisseau, bleeding them dry takes up time, time we sometimes don't have."

The girl had to stop herself from flinching at the warning, an action missed by none of the Grimms, before she respectfully bowed her head. "I will act upon your advice Aunt."

"Good." Ruiss kept her head bowed as she joined the others in the group, standing close to her sister. Valian stared at Milena before looking her up and down as well. Milena met her mother's intimidating gaze, seeing the carefully calculated emotions shift across her face. The older women was one of few words, the phrases she spoke she meant and the orders she gave were not to be taken lightly. Orders she now yelled at the group behind her. "Tear down the tents, sand the fires. We move out in ten."

Actions confident, the group moved out to their designated chores that had been previously assigned. They would be ready to move in less than five minutes. Milena stayed were she stood as Valian studied both the corpse and her only daughter. The brown eyes saw as Ruiss had seen, a quick death with little to no mutilation of the body currently held in a white knuckled grip. Disappointment flashed over her otherwise inexpressive face.

"Milena, you are an Erhardt."

Sagging her shoulders, Milena mentally prepared herself to receive _the talk_ from her mother.

"When a wesen refuses to provide information, the Royals call our family. We provide them a service few other Grimm lines can." Valian took a few steps forward and grasped Milena's shoulder.

The contact only lasted a few moments. Looking into her mother's eyes, the young Grimm summoned the courage to speak. "We are glorified torturers Mother."

Valian tightened her grip to the point where Milena grunted in pain before releasing her hold. "Our legacy is one of blood and loyalty." That phrase ran in the family, passed from one generation to the next. The Grimms of the Erhardt line protected those who were loyal to their family and secured secrets, for a price of course.

More than one Royal wanted Valian to come in to their service however, the women remained aloft, allowing younger Grimms to find jobs within the Royalty of Europe. After completing her training, Milena would have to decide which one she would throw her lot with and how far she was willing to run with them. Royals played petty political games and often dug their own graves because of it. Every one of them had need of an Erhardt, one who had been trained with the arts of keeping a victim alive for several months to procure the truth or hunting down a secret within a day.

The girl did not relish the idea of becoming a person everyone she made contact with would fear. A shudder racked her body as a flash of the wesen's eyes from the night replayed before her eyes. Terror, horror, directed at her for simply existing. She hadn't asked for this life and while the rest of the Grimms bathed in the blood and lusted after the death of every wesen they met, Milena wanted more from life.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, thank you grimmlvr99 for your helpful tips! Hope you enjoy.**

It was a decision that would never sit well with any Royal or any Grimm. Valian pointing a finger to a pit near the edge of camp. "Dump your toy in with the rest. Ruiss and Lilith will cover your end."

Milena waited in a carefully planned silence as her mother moved away before moving to the edge of camp as instructed. Body shaking from a combination of fear and exhaustion, she almost missed the older man a few years older than her guarding the freshly dug pit. His gray eyes glanced at the girl before returning to the forest around them, forever watchful. "How goes the day Blue?"

Blue was a nickname he had given her years ago. Few people were allowed to call her that. "Like any other Ficke."

Happy go lucky personality, lovable smile and a huge heart, the man was a completely different person than Christuf. Half of the people those two worked with didn't believe that they were brothers.

"I heard differently." Ficke's eyes met hers, concern showing in their depts. "What did Val make you do this time?"

The girl tightened her grip on the body and hurled it into the pit with little more than the necessary force. Turning away, Ficke pretended to miss the motion. "Rough night then?"

As her custom, Milena didn't respond, walking away from the pit and the smell of death emitting from it. Ficke had always gotten along with everyone in the family with a smile on his lips and a joke soon to come. In their bleak life, everyone needed a little joy and he was more than willing to supply one however, at that moment, Milena didn't want to see what her life had become. The man sighed. "Another time then blue." The chug of an overflowing gas can filled the absence of sound as Ficke returned to his job, dumping the contents over the bodies placed in the pit.

It was a short walk from Camp and in an attempt to make it longer; the Grimm slowed her footsteps until she stopped, relatively alone in the dark woods surrounding her. There was another custom of hers to complete. _Three _seconds. She stared at her gore-covered hands, watching the dried flesh flake away from her fingernails. _Three seconds to forget._

One.

_"__On my count." Valian raised her hand. "We leave nothing alive tonight." _

_Ruiss and Magda's howls as they chased down a middle aged man, their knives gleaming in the moonlight. Lilith killing a wesen looking her own age a savage smile on her lips. Christuf swinging his flanged mace, his face emotionless as the screams and wet snaps of breaking bones were absorbed into the woods. _

Two.

_A girl cowering against a wall, her face voguing between a wolf and a very young face, staring at Milena with terror as the Grimm stepped over the body of another blutbad who had been protecting the door. "Please." Her voice shook as she tried to drag herself away on a twisted leg. "Please." _

Three.

Milena walked away from the memories, accelerating enough to run through the trees as the smell of burning flesh flooded from the clearing behind her. Breathing labored, she allowed herself to forget the faces, forget the guilt, forget the bodies, the screams and tears that would haunt her nights to come. For now she had peace and in that moment, she was relieved.


	4. Chapter 4

When she returned to camp, Lilith and Ruisseau had finished packing. Without a word, they handed Milena her items, joining where the others had gathered. A small Blutbad pack had been no trouble for them. A Royal had wanted them eliminated, to set an example of what was to happen when a wesen crossed onto or through her land. By no means quiet, the Grimms clapped each other on the shoulders, praised others of their skill and a while later, boasted of their own. Her blond hair flying as she twisted through the air, Ruiss eagerly described her kills, even drawing one of her knifes to maim imaginary ghosts. Lilith and Chistuf remained silent as they stood in a circle of admirers, amusement dancing in their gazes as others acted out their kills for them.

"Mile!" The Grimm barely had time to turn before she was tackled around her waist. Repressing her instinct, Milena stopped her hands from reaching for her weapons while her attacker grinned, white teeth startling against her dark brown skin.

"Magda." Milena's reply wasn't enthusiastic.

The girl didn't notice. "You have to tell me about last night!" Her light brown eyes sparkled. "Every little detail."

The Grimm couldn't help but smile back, Magda's mood was infectious and where she traveled, her sister Renata was not far behind.

Magda and Renata; sisters who were exceptionally skilled in story telling. It mattered little to their audience if it were their kills or someone else's, only that the story be turned into legion by their silver tongues.

Dark skinned, covered in black armor and a little over 5'6, both of them were pretty, strong and well on their way to making a name for themselves.

They had been adopted by four years ago by Agatha Schafer when the older women found them and their murdered mother as she had been hunting a wesen in Africa. Utterly alone, well on her way to starving and frantic, Magda had tried to defend her sister after her mother had died. Agatha often retold the story of having to subdue the girls after rescuing them. The older women already had three sons and while Christuf, Benard and Ficke were wonderful, she had always wanted girls. The sisters had been born from a seemingly regular African family and when they had both shown they held the sight, Agatha had been at a loss. Their training had taken place immediately after witnessing their first monster.

"Pretty please."

"Fine." There was no chance of resisting Magda's doe eyed pleas. Many years in the life of a Grimm, even if she was only in training, had given Milena quite a record. She had a choice between recent or a few years old. Savoring the hungry look on her fellow Grimm's face, Milena began in a low voice to prevent anyone from over hearing. "Five months ago, we received word of a monster who had been terrorizing a small village in Germany." Another girl with dark skin joined their small circle and pressed closer to hear the story. Giving Magda a small hug, the newcomer eagerly motioned for the older girl to continue. _Renata never could wait. _Milena gave her fellow Grimm a nod before continuing.

"Having taken three victims already, the near-by Royal promised a good pay off if we removed the problem and a few days after arriving, we found a few wesen who fit the profile. I was assigned to interrogate a Lowen who owned a butcher shop, Lillith was told to question a Spinnetod and Mom enjoyed spending time with a Schakal."

"Who was it?" Renata preferred hand to hand combat and had requested an unusual choice of weaponry. Artificial steel talons covered her hands during most of the day, hands she now wrung in nervous anticipation. The girl always wore those leather gloves during a hunt, enjoying punching and tearing her prey without getting any of her ten digits dirty. Milena was considering making a pair for herself. _Renata is going to love telling this one. _

"None of them."

Magda was the first to react. "What?"

The Grimm shrugged, smirking. "We made sure no one found their bodies but none of them were the wesen we were looking for." She leaned closer, taking exaggerated glances around them as if telling a huge secret. "Turns out the Royal wanted to 'recruit' a few Grimms from the Erhardt line so he tried to trap us in his territory." Milena leaned back; pretended to inspect her bloody dagger hooked in her belt. "A small time Royal, easy enough for three Grimms to kill."

"I though killing a Royal was impossible!" Renata was almost jumping with excitement at the prospect from this story.

"If they are a Bastard child, they usually don't get the protection the others do." Milena smirked. "This one just happened to be a bastard."

Magda held her sniper rifle close at hand, voice almost squeaking. "We have a story to tell tonight!" For a Grimm who's job was to pick off or wound difficult wesen at a distance for her teammates to easily take out, Magda was one of the most hyper people Milena knew. That and Magda was one of the few Grimms who preferred a gun to the traditional medieval weaponry most of them carried.

The two had been pressed hard since their family died however were a pair of people Milena didn't mind being around. Despite everything life had thrown at them, the sisters tried to look on the bright side of everything. That is until they reached their limit.

Always alert to their environments, the girls fell silent as their teammates quieted, looking in the direction to see what had caused the sudden silence. Valian paused a moment, making sure she had all of their attention before allowing a slow smirk to reveal itself.

"Move out." Quiet words.


	5. Chapter 5

As one, the pack of Grimm roared and raced from the clearing, supplies strapped securely to their backs. A deadly shadow, Milena's mother lead them, auburn hair flashing in the morning light as she wove through the trees. Grins of wild abandonment were worn on every face, Milena included, as the race continued. Clean mountain air filled their lungs, refreshing as it was to run through the icy cold river that barred their path. Taking one obstacle after another, the exercise allowed no thoughts to invade Milena's mind, her body working on autopilot as they continued through the quiet wood. No one stayed quiet, howling, whooping and jeering to make themselves know. By the end of the run, every living creature that remained alive would know that they passed through.

It was small moments like these that made a Grimm's life one worth living. The simple power of allowing yourself to let go, to be wild, was exilerating. No more fearing the dark, the monsters you faced while walking down the street, dreams that never ceased to haunt you. You were free to simply be alive and to exist without any who would bar you from that privilege.

Before long, the group slowed to a stop and silence once again claimed them. At Valian's motion, a man Milena knew well enough to recognize his face but not his name, stepped forward, hands cupped to his mouth. A bird call emitted from the calloused instrument and into the clearing below. Together they waited, some not daring to breath while others tightened the grip on their chosen weapons.

A few seconds after the initiated call, an answer replied. Letting out a collective breath, the Grimms rushed into the clearing below, grins returning as six neatly parked vehicles and one trailer came into view; right where the Grimms had hidden them a week before. Not needing an order, everyone stripped themselves of their supplies, placing them beside the trailer.

Cursing, Renata raced passed Milena and quickly started unloading one of the many bags on to the trailer, placing each tent, blanket and other supplies into their designated area. Ruiss paused beside her older cousin, nudging Milena's shoulder with a smile on her lips. "God I hate that job but watching other people hate it," She nodded her head in a so-so direction. "it kind of makes up for it."

The young Grimm grinned. "Can't argue with that." The chores were usually divided amongst the underage or youngest people that happened to be in the group. Having been on the crew that _unloaded _ the trailer, Milena could relax as Renata, Lillith and a few others packed everything back up. A sly grin replaced her previous expression as a though surfaced.

Ruiss did a double take on the older girl's face. "Oh I know that look."

Milena tried to kill her smile. "What look?"

"The look you get when you think of a plan."

_Damn, she knows me too well. _The older Grimm tilted her head, smirk growing again. "Wouldn't it be a shame if a few things weren't put in the right place?"

A smile to match Milena's flashed Ruiss' teeth in the sunlight. "I believe there is a punishment for that yeah?"

"Something about 'the team that loads things in the wrong spot has to reload for the next four times'."

"Seems legit."

Without hesitation, both girls surged forward, heading directly for the door on the side of the trailer. Only a few people actually knew about the opening. Having been on a few high-priority hunts and in many tight situations, Milena had been given the information. Ruiss found out about it because she had been bored and sentenced to protect the trailer because she made a mistake on a job.

Tiny and with no handle, the opening was hardly noticeable and couldn't be opened but like many items in a Grimm's possession, looks could be deceiving. Milena pressed in a small panel on the right half of the door and opened the hatch. Poking her head inside, she motioned to Ruiss the coast was clear before stepping inside herself.

Weapons lined the walls, ancient knives, swords and heavy maces intermixed with a variety of sniper rifles, shotguns, ak47s and other toys. Poisons were kept in special compartments below the floor boards in case anything should happen to the trailer while in transport. While originally designed for wesen, the contents were deadly to any living thing if their delicate glass casing cracked and formulas mixed together.

Those items didn't interest the girl's, their attention drawn to a better item. If there was one thing everyone cared about after an outing, it was fresh clothing. No one liked sitting in what could turn out to be an ten hour car ride in leather armor, sticky with blood from the previous day. Until they reached a safe house with a shower, everyone was going to be changing into their cleaner clothing.

_And if the loading team was to say, dirty said clothing... _The wicked grin returned.

The younger girl immediately tossed the pile to the ground as Milena grabbed a neatly pack, relatively unused inflatable boat cord. _Ready? _She mouthed.

Before Ruiss could respond, a shadow filled the entrance way of the trailer. Milena didn't think, her body moving on instinct as adrenalin flooding her system . She pulled the cord even as a voice, one that belonged to Renata cried out "Sabotage!" and tackled Ruiss out the side door. Kicking the small door shut, the Grimm quickly turned to her cousin to see if she was ok. The younger girl was laughing too hard to get up, eyes half moons of happiness.

"Di-Did you see her face?!"

With all the sound they were making, it didn't take long to find the pranksters. The group who had been loading the trailer gathered around. Lilith had already put away her weapons, her brown eyes sparkling with rare emotion; happiness. Ruiss launched herself from the ground at Lilith and the two went rolling through the dry dirt road, laughing and squeaking as they fought to pin one another. Renata did the same to Milena and soon had the older Grimm pinned underneath her.

"Say uncle." Renata warned.

Milena was almost laughing to hard to reply "Never!"

A smile cracked the dark girl's face, revealing startling white teeth before she theatrically gathered spit in her mouth. Before the torture could commence, older Grimms separated the girls, dragging them to their feet. Valian was already there, standing as she surveyed the scene before her. No smile lifted her lips however, the look in her eyes warned the girls no to speak. "Would you care to explain what happened?" When the girl's kept their neutral silence, Valian shrugged then waved her hands, a signal that released the girl's from their captors' grips. "Good. Milena, Ruiss, since you have so much time on your hands, you may both load and unload the trailer for the next six hunts, do you understand?"

It was a light punishment to which both girls immediately replied,

"Yes Mam."

"Yes Mom."

"You have already wasted enough time." Valian motioned for the crowd to disperse. "Go and finish your jobs then get in a car. We have a long way to travel." When the older women had walked away, all four girls shared a smile before helping each other load the massive trailer. Once done, they distributed the clean clothes to their rightful owners and gratefully sank in to a car lined in the caravan. Staring slow, an assortment of different vehicals followed one another down the winding mountain road, leaving the black smoke and bloody dirt as the only evidence the group was ever there.


	6. Chapter 6

When the van slowed, a shoulder nudged Milena awake from her gentle dozing. For the lack of daylight, her brain registered the passing of the day. It also acknowledged the night's temperature, making goose-flesh crawl over her arms after the young Grimm reluctantly stepped into the freezing night. The open door closed behind her and she watched, yawning, as down the line of cars every soul younger than twenty slipped into the night. Once empty of the younger Grimms, the cars would pull away from the side of the path and continue down the dirt lane. In less than a minute bend in the road made them vanish altogether, leaving only the smell of exhaust. Rubbing the sleep from their eyes, the eight odd teens gathered in a ragged circle, teeth chattering as they watched their teammates depart.

Some of teens Milena knew and some she did not. Lilith, Ruiss, Magda and Renata had all been to the camp before and didn't linger by the roadside for long. As they quietly slipped into the trees, the three other Grimms looked to Milena. She sighed and turned her feet in the right direction, knowing the others would follow. _I _am_ Valian's daughter._ Milena gritted her teeth together.

Their camp was built a couple of miles away from the road and well hidden. Like everything else, having two camps was a precaution against attack. Most people assumed that all Grimms would house together and that was their mistake. It they found one camp, the other Grimms then had a chance to organize themselves for a counter attack, tactical retreat or rescue attempt. Milena knew the way well enough she could have found the camp blind. If she wasn't lucky, some day she might have to.

Differences between the rank of the older hunters compared to the younger were evident as the small group trudged through the woods. Both Ruiss' and Lilith's eyes swept the trees around them, hands casually near their weapons and muscles at a half awareness. They breathed quietly and at times, they breathed as one. Milena's movements were a mirror image of theirs.

The other teens had a harder time staying silent. Twigs cracked through the silent woods, someone stumbled and a soft oath almost made Milena snap a reply to be quiet. Magda and Renata were better than most but they didn't temper their breathing or actively search for a threat. Stalking techniques didn't matter this deep in Grimm territory but the skill at which they traveled through the woods bothered Milena. Wesen already had sensitive smell; hearing and some (albeit rare) wesen could feel the vibrations through the ground. By the next day, many of the younger Grimms would be heading out on their next hunt, assigned to kill and while they might be under supervision of experienced hunters, if their skills weren't enough to conceal them from their prey, they would die.

Milena let out a heavy breath. How well they could stalk prey would not be an issue on the hunts the less experienced Grimms participated in. Most of them would be gone the next day, petty wesen on their schedule while she and other more experienced people would tackle the real jobs. Milena had been placed on the 'big job team' for two years now, the easy hunts that lasted little over a week replaced with hunts that, on average, lasted four months. Mastering the sword was only part of the job; the other half was filled with stress and careful planning.

"_Stalking is more important than killing the wesen." _Valian drilled the idea in their heads. _"I want to see you alive by the end of your mission. If you kill the wesen but die beside your prey, that mission is a failure."_

Easy practice included outings like the previous night, killing large groups of inexperienced wesen for money. Now that she was older, Milena was often given the planning portion of the hunt, learning to use her head now that she had honed her skill with the blade.

A load snap echoed through the quiet woods and instinct brought Milena to a crouch, left hand on her blade. After a few moments of stillness, she rose and resumed to walk, coming side by side with Lilith and Ruiss as they straightened before pressing on. Continuing through the thick woods, Milena forced herself to concentrate on the task of getting to the cabins. All the Grimms below the age of twenty had their own cabin space, a place they knew by heart because if nothing else the cabins ringing a small fire pit in the middle of nowhere, was secure, safe. It had been years since Milena had last seen her cabin.

Stepping clear of the woods, she had to fight from running to the place she had claimed years ago, barely retaining the calm pace she set. Ruiss gave a loud whoop and raced toward her room, Lilith rolling her eyes as she followed. Most of the younger Grimms copied Ruiss' move and rushed to their doors, groping for the key they had hidden from their last visit. Walking through the quickly dispersing crowd, she ignored the invitations to an after party by the younger kids and quietly slipped up to the front porch of her room.

From an outsiders viewpoint, the oaken cabin would seem intimidating, the ancient structure large, dark and everything but pleasant to look at. Bullet holes riddled the chipped, charred edges of the structure, complimenting the bars crossing the few windows whose glass was bullet proof. Matching twelve other houses spread across the clearing, the cabin she had claimed was not the prettiest picture. Milena gently stroked the wood and let out a breath as her chest suddenly loosened. It only took a moment to find the hidden key.

One story, lacking decorations and spotted with belongings she didn't need or have any sentimental value too, Milena felt herself relax. This was the place safety lived, the place where she learned who she was, the place were she learned how to defend her life against monsters that haunted her waking dreams.

It smelled different. Shutting the front door, the girl inhaled deeply, sank down the wall to sit on the floor. The air had a bitter metallic taste to it, one she faintly recognized but couldn't name. _What does it matter anyway?_ A long awaited smile broke over his lips. _I'm home. _

**I haven't done a disclaimer in a while so here it goes, I own nothing of Grimm. All the rights to the characters belong to NBC except those of my own making. **


	7. Chapter 7

Screams woke her. A shower, clean clothes and a small snack had left her quiet and content as her body eagerly slipped into sleep. Her clock had read 11:36 Pm and glancing at the time now, the red numbers formed 3:57 Am. Knowing a light wouldn't help her, Milena quickly placed her boots on her feet and grabbed the knife she kept by the door before sprinting out into the night.

As the sound again washed over the camp, the young Grimm felt her skin crawl and gooseflesh erupt over her arms. The sound was one of pure animal terror, a sound bleak of hope and forever lost in the darkness of a person's soul. It was no surprise the chilling wail lead her to the cabin she recognized as Ruisseau's and Lilith's. She threw open the door and searched the room until her eyes depicted shadows near the back of the cabin.

Pressed firmly against the oaken wall, Ruiss let loose another wail, tears streaming down her face as her small body rocked with sobs, the knuckles of her fists already bloody and raw from punching the ancient wood. The only thing that restrained girl from throwing herself at the wall again was her sister. Lilith's face was an emotionless mask as she held her sobbing sibling, enduring the blows from sharp elbows, knees and heels, resolutely holding Ruiss to protect her from herself. Milena flinched from hearing the blows make contact. Ruiss was not a weak girl.

Rushing forward, Milena dropped her weapon and held the blond girl's feet down as she wailed words Milena now recognized as French, both the sister's native tongue. "Momma, veuillez ne pas y aller! Lutter contre eux, les combattre!"

Lilith retained her deadly calm as she shouted to be heard over her sister. "Hold her arms." Milena received five punches to her arms, shoulders, even face, that left her the skin tingling as she completed the task. The youngest girl snarled as a rabid animal in a trap would, her eyes opened but not aware of her surroundings. Once secure, Milena watched as her older cousin placed her fingers on Ruiss' neck. The youngest girl screamed one last time before sagging, limp as a doll. Both girls sagged along with the third, the places Ruiss had hit throbbing with their heartbeats, promising bruises come daylight. It took a few seconds for Milena's heart to stop pounding, another minute to steady her breathing and by that time, Lilith motioned for her to pick up Ruiss' feet.

Gently as they could, the two girls carried their limp burden to her bed where Lilith slowly covered her sister with a blanket. The usually stoic girl hesitated before smoothing Ruiss' matted hair back, an oddly intimate moment that caused Milena to look away.

The young Grimm instead studied the walls of the cabin, a carbon copy of her own. Ruiss' side was covered in posters, most of them bright colors. All of them were hung hazardously, without pattern or problem as if Ruiss had literally thrown them at the wall to decide where they should be. _She probably did just that._

Bleak and bare, Lilith's didn't have anything on it, not one picture or even a tack. A few boxes rested by the foot of her bed, and by the looks of it, only one was half filled. Lilith had always been a minimalist. Milena turned back to the sisters, watching for a moment as Lilith stood by her sister's bedside, the intimate moment over. "She still dreams of that night?"

The elder girl didn't answer immediately, moving to sit on a chair opposite her little sister. She rubbed a hand across her face and Milena was struck by just how tired she looked. "Every night."

"At least she didn't have her knives."

The older girl didn't crack a smile. Milena still got the shivers thinking about the time Ruiss had slept walked with her knives. She had nearly killed Lilith when her sister attempted to disarm her. "Her night terrors have been getting worse Milena."

Nodding in agreement, she sank beside Lilith, sitting on a table as they watched Ruisseau sleep in peace for a second. The older girl rubbed her face again and uttered a bitter oath; small sparks of anger in her brown eyes. "It has gotten to the point where I've been taking the knives she normally sleeps with because I don't know whether or not she can be trusted."

Milena tried to imagine sleeping in the same room with Ruiss and didn't think she could live with the fear of receiving a knife to the back from her roommate. These cabins were suppose to be a refuge, protection and security during the days between battles, a home that, despite the chaos, would never change. If you couldn't rest in the only place on earth that offered peace, where would you go? "Did she do this on the hunt?"

"No. Ruiss always does better when she can shed blood-"

"Of those responsible."

Lilith sighed again, the bags underneath her eyes accented in the dim light. "I've been trying to prepare her for the day I go to complete the trials. She's gotten nothing but worse in the last few weeks."

A twinge of guilt bolted through Milena. She had forgotten Lilith was now old enough to be sent to the trials. That was to be her in little less then a year.

"She hasn't taken the news well." The older Grimm's voice was soft as Ruiss shifted in her bed. "I don't know what will happen when I leave."

"We will watch out for her."

"And who will comfort her? Do you want something to drink?" Lilith stood before Milena could reply and poured two cups of water from a near-by pitcher. The water tasted like the metallic air in Milena's cabin but the girl drank it anyway. Her cousin only held the glass, watching the liquid swirl back and forth.

"She has friends here." Lilith glanced at Milena when the younger girl spoke in accented French, a small attempt to comfort her. A few minutes passed before Lilith responded, her French soft in the near darkness.

"Yes. But Ruiss only finds relief from her night terrors when she spills blood. How long will it take for her to make that connection? How long will you have to wait for her to start killing not just wesen but people as well, simply because they are closer?" Her whispered words made translating for Milena difficult but the message was clear. Lilith stood, her face once more emotionless as she addressed her younger cousin in English. "Thank you for your help."

Knowing she had been dismissed, Milena nodded, stood and walked to the door. On her way out, she set the cup near the pitcher and hesitated by the entrance. Lilith had already sat in the chair again, staring at the only thing she had left in the world, bruises darkening her pale skin. What she said followed Milena as the girl made her way back to her cabin and they repeated themselves when she laid down in her bed, staring at the ceiling.

_How long will you have to wait? _Milena closed her eyes, feeling her expression mirror Lilith's. No matter how hard she tried, Lilith couldn't stop loving her sister, couldn't stop trying to help a girl whose memories were slowly driving her mad. _How long? _Milena squeezed her eyes shut, feeling tears leak beneath the lids.

_How long until you have to kill her?_


	8. Chapter 8

Morning came with the usual groans. Not speaking to anyone, Milena lead the small group through the woods, not commenting on the fact that Ruisseau had elected to stay behind. Lilith kept pace with her easily, stalking on the familiar path both of them knew by heart. While there was no threats this deep in Grimm territory, the tall girl still had a knife strapped to her side. Watching her eyes and body language, any trained Grimm could see that she was still hunting.

_Old habits are a bitch._ Milena mused while releasing a huge yawn. The six people left in the group would not talk about what had happened the night before. It wasn't the first time it had happened.

The mess hall came into view, looking foreboding in the early morning mist and as battle scarred as any of the ancient structures were expected to be. Giving several whoops, the younger children raced forward, pushing and shoving one another as a pack of dogs would. Magda and Renata laughed before racing after them, playfully shoving their way through the crowd. Only Lilith and Milena retained their original speed, content to arriving when they pleased. The old building offered heat, noise and mouthwatering smells. It took every ounce of Milena's training to calmly accept the eggs, ham, grapes and cheese from the servers, without devouring the food heaped onto her plate. The food stood no chance once she sat down at her usual table. Milena dug in, table manners forgotten in the midst of eating something that wasn't fast food or dried for preservation purposes. She barely acknowledged Lilith when the older girl sat beside her, slowly picking through her food.

In between inhaling her food, Milena managed to study her surroundings. Being one of the largest buildings, the mess hall was meant to host the Grimms, visitors and family, making the crowd gathered for breakfast rather diverse.

Agatha Schafer kissed her husband and smiled as he leaned close to whisper something in her ear. Being one of the best Grimms kept them apart for most of the year but the women tried to see her husband between working jobs. Renata and Magda fought for their adopted parent's attention, mimicking sword thrusts to their wide-eyed father until he raised his hands in surrender. Damitri Schafer, unlike his two sisters and mother, showed no signs of having the sight and had the strange luck of marring a woman who was a well known Grimm from another line. Their sons, Christuf and Ficke, sat side by side and smiled as they listened to their little sisters, occasionally making a comment.

Valian had contact all known Grimms from all around the world whether they be working for a Royal or not and it brought to perspective just how few Grimms were left in the world. At most, there were twenty people in the room who were Grimms and despite the divided loyalties; a few would choose to join missions Valian would offer after Breakfast. The rest would be shipping out at dusk, their political lives calling them back home. For now they greeted each other like old friends, gathering together in half circles to laugh, drink and eat like the old battle siblings they were.

Pounding on the main table caused the conversations to dim in the mess hall, everyone training their eyes on Valian as she stood from her seat. A man sat next to her, light brown hair neatly combed back and vibrant blue eyes sparkling in the dim light.

Lilith seemed puzzled, turning to her cousin. "When did your father arrive?"

Her food forgotten, Milena could only shrug. Like her cabin, she hadn't seen her father for years except when he decided to join a hunt with the main group. He primary job was to scout out new areas for Valian to expand her territory and recruit new allies. Him sitting in the mess hall was an oddity unto itself.

"As you all know, the mission last night was successful." The Grimm allowed a few second for cheering however, when she raised her hand, silence immediately settled. "We have several new missions that need to be completed. Agatha," The women stood at her name. "will be taking a small group to Austria. Anyone interested in this mission can see her for more details although I have offered a few names. Jachline, Zack, Mara, Kieth and Lilith, report to her after announcements."

After receiving nods from each of the people she named, Valian surveyed the room before clapped a hand on Milena's father. "Fredrick also has news of a mission. This one is to be extended to America."

Everything in the mess hall froze. Missions were usually preformed in one location or another and while Milena could claim she had been almost everywhere in Europe, Asia and Africa, no one she knew had ever gone to America. The Americas were unmarked territories, a place where wesen leaders of the rebellion resided and no known Royals had yet claimed rights to.

Valian didn't miss the subtle signs of shock. "What do we Grimms want most in life?" The question echoed in the silent room. "Safety? We can't walk the streets without seeing someone we are obligated to kill. A good meal? That costs money, money we earn from the cheap Royalty that would rather have us enslaved. And what about our children? How will them cope when it is their turn to carry the weight of a Grimm?" The women allowed a small measure of fury to leak through her expression.

"I have thought about this and I say I am tired. I am tired of fearing for my daughter, tired of fearing the monsters who work for the Royals to kill my heir." Valian stood straighter. "Knowing every risk, my husband hopes to find both allies and land that we can rule without having to battle the Royals every other month over claims. I am hopeful this plan will succeed." The leader looked over her troops, every line of her hard body showing her strength. She was a woman born to lead.

"I have decided to allow several young bloods to travel on this trip, the reason being simple. Any land we acquire will someday be manage by the next generation of leaders, your generation." Her powerful eyes swept the mess hall. "Magda, Christuf, Ficke, Milena, Ruisseau, Renata, Silas, and Brie. Report to Frederick after this meeting closes."


End file.
